Visualization of surface modifications may be very challenging for coating/substrate systems of either almost identical optical constants, e.g. transparent films on substrates of the same material, or minor film thickness, substance quantity and affected area, e.g. ultra-thin or island films. Methods for visualization are optical microscopy (OM), imaging ellipsometry (IE), and referenced spectroscopic ellipsometry (RSE). Imaging ellipsometry operates at oblique incidence near Brewster angle of the bare, clean or unmodified substrate. In this configuration, reflected intensities are rather weak. However, the contrast to add-on and sub-off features may be superior. Referenced spectroscopic ellipsometry operates in a two-sample configuration but with much higher intensities. In many cases, both ellipsometric techniques reveal and visualize thin films, printed-pattern, laser-induced changes, and impurities better than optical microscopy. In particular for stratified homogeneous modifications, ellipsometric techniques give access to modelling and hence thickness determination. Modifications under investigation are polymer foil residue on silicon, laser-induced changes of ta-C: H coatings on 100Cr6 steel, imperfections of ta-C: H on thermal silicon oxide, degradation of glass, thin film tin oxide pattern on silicon, printed and dried pattern of liquids such as deionized water, cleaning agents, and dissolved silicone. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.